Soil P availability limits legume persistence and distribution in the fynbos of the Cape Floristic Region

Power, Simon C

Soil P availability limits legume persistence and distribution in the fynbos of the Cape Floristic Region

Master Thesis

2010

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Department of Biological Sciences

Faculty

Faculty of Science

Abstract

Legumes are unable to persist through post-fire succession in fynbos vegetation of the CFR unlike species in families such as Proteaceae and Restionaceae. The majority of fynbos legumes are seeders which tend to be shorter-lived than co-occurring resprouters. Seeders are likely to have a higher nutrient requirement than resprouters as they tend to invest more biomass- above ground, grow faster and produce more seed. In the oligo-trophic soils occupied by fynbos, symbiotic N2-fixation enables legumes to overcome low N availability but not low P availability. I hypothesized that: legumes are less effective at acquiring P from sparingly soluble sources compared with members of Proteaceae and Restionaceae ; legume seeders occupy soils with a higher nutrient status than resprouters. P-acquisition strategies of legumes and non-legumes were assessed.

Description

Includes abstract.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 64-83).

Keywords

Botany

Reference:

Collections

Masters

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